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No. 6 Softball Scores Three In The Seventh to Defeat Oregon, 7-4

EUGENE, OR - The No. 6 California Golden Bears scored three times in the top of the seventh to break a 4-4 tie to eventually defeat the Oregon Ducks, 7-4, at Howe Field on Friday afternoon. With the win, the Bears snap a three-game Pac-10 skid and improve to 49-13 overall and 6-12 in the conference. The loss drops the Ducks to 28-38 overall, 1-18 in Pac-10 play.

Cal jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the first on an RBI double by junior Candace Harper, scoring senior Pauline Dueï¿½as from second after singling one batter earlier and moving to second on a passes ball.

Oregon took the lead in their half of the first, 2-1. Alyssa Laux hit her first home run on the year, bringing in Lynsey Haij who singed earlier in the inning.

The score remained 2-1 until Cal plated three runs in the fifth to take a 4-2 lead. With two outs, senior Paige Bowie homered to deep right center to tie the score at two apiece. Dueï¿½as followed with her second single of the game and scored on a Harper single and a throwing error by the Oregon right fielder. Harper moved to second on the error as well and later scored the third run in the inning when sophomore Veronica Nelson lined a single in front of the right fielder.

The Ducks knotted the score at four, with a two spot in the sixth, but the Bears answered with three runs in the seventh highlighted by a two-RBI two-out double by sophomore Courtney Scott to right center to bring home Nelson and Harper. Bowie scored the first run in the inning on a shortstop fielder's choice who threw the ball away at the plate trying to Bowie out on the play.

Junior Jocelyn Forest started for Cal and went the first four innings, allowing two runs on four hits while striking out four, before giving way to senior Nicole DiSalvio who pitched the remaining three innings of two run (one earned), four hit ball to earn the win and improve to 18-6 on the year.

Connie McMurren went the distance for the Duck and falls to 8-18 with the loss.

Bowie, Dueï¿½as and Harper each had two hits on the day, while Nelson, sophomore Eryn Manahan and Scott added one hit each for a total of nine hits in the game for the Bears.

Cal completes the regular season tomorrow with a doubleheader versus the Oregon State Beavers in Corvallis, OR. Game one is scheduled to get under way at noon.